Did you know
A new kind of lantern.
Noss Head was the first lighthouse with diagonal glazing bars in its lantern, soon the standard.
Caithness
Noss Head Lighthouse
A white lighthouse of 1849 by Alan Stevenson on the headland north of Wick, above the cliffs of Sinclair's Bay, a short walk from Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.
Welcome
Three miles north of Wick, a narrow headland juts into the sea, its name from the Norse for nose.
At its tip stands Noss Head lighthouse, a white tower with a black lantern, its keepers' cottages gathered round it inside a stone wall, all on the edge of dark cliffs above Sinclair's Bay.
It was built in 1849 to the design of Alan Stevenson, and it made a small piece of history: its lantern was the first with diagonal glazing bars, which block less of the light, and the pattern was then taken up across the service. The road out to it from Wick was built by farm workers hit by the Highland potato famine. The light was automated in 1987 and still flashes white and red every twenty seconds.
The cottages are private homes, but the tower can be admired from the road and the clifftop. From the parking area it is a short walk west to the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.
The Daily
Arrives at 5am every day.
A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.
Before you go
The lighthouse buildings are private homes; see the tower from the road and the headland at any time.
- Where
- Noss Head, north of Wick.
- Built
- 1849, by Alan Stevenson.
- Light
- White and red, every 20 seconds.
Been here? Tell others what you know, and the best go on this page with your name.
Add your reviewDid you know
Did you know
Seventy-six steps.
The tower is 18 metres high, with 76 steps to the top.
Ben Lerwill
From our guide to Caithness
‘As sweet to me as light of moon or star/ Is thy bright gleam, old trusty friend Noss Head’. So begins the poem, by James G Duncan, dedicated to this long-standing lighthouse. A fixture on the clifftop since 1849, and still very much a working beacon, it was automated in 1987. If you really want to make the most of a visit, the lighthouse keeper’s cottage is available as a self-catering property.
Read moreWhat is on
What is new across Caithness, day by day.
New places, news and stories, as we find them.
What is on in CaithnessWhere it is
At the end of the Noss Head road, about three miles north of Wick; parking by the access road.
Close byWick.
Castle Sinclair GirnigoeThe Sinclairs' ruin a short walk away.Under a mile 3 min by road
Wick Golf ClubAn 18-hole links at Reiss, three miles north of Wick, played since 1873 and redesigned by John Sutherland of Royal Dornoch in 1907.3 miles as the crow flies
Bord de l'Eau3 miles 12 min by road
Wick Heritage CentreThe main Caithness town of Wick has one of the best local museums, and it is bigger inside than it looks from the street.3 miles 12 min by road
Old Pulteney DistilleryWhisky in Wick.4 miles 15 min by road
Reiss SandsThe sands of Sinclair's Bay.8 miles 21 min by road
Stay nearby
Places to stay near the lighthouse, and when each is next free.
Hidden Scotland, the magazine
Scotland, in print.
We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.
Read on
The collections it is in and more in Caithness.
Find out more
For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .
- Noss Head LighthouseIts history.meanderingwild.comMeandering Wild↗
- Castle Sinclair GirnigoeThe castle and the walk.undiscoveredscotland.co.ukUndiscovered Scotland↗
- Reiss BeachThe bay below.thebeachguide.co.ukUK Beach Guide↗
- Caithness and SutherlandWick and around.caithnessandsutherland.comCaithness and Sutherland↗